printParadoxes of the Russian Popadanets` Science Fiction
Latov Yu.V.
Dr. Sci. (Soc.), Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Chief Researcher, Institute of Sociology of the FCTAS, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia latov@mail.ru
Latov Yu.V. Paradoxes of the Russian Popadanets` Science Fiction. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2023. No 4. P. 117-128
The author supports proposed by R.N. Abramov interpretation of the Russian science fiction development in the genre of alternative history as a reflection of the mass consciousness dynamics of Russians, but attempts, taking into account bibliometric data, to significantly clarify it. The development of this genre should be seen in the context of the evolving historical mentality of “post-Soviet” Russians, which turned out to be characterized by a commitment to virtual versions of historical events. This finds expression in the mass popularity of not only pseudo-scientific literature on the topics of Russian history (for example, so called “new chronology”), but also frankly fantastic “popadanets`s” alternative history. The perception of many periods of Russian history as a trauma that one would like to get rid of by rewriting or “replaying” real events is, to a large extent, a projection onto the past of the critical attitude of many Russians to the post-Soviet present. The decisive motive in this case is a desire for revenge – to change the results of historical events that were unsuccessful for Russia (first of all, military defeats).
Abramov R.N. (2023) Russian Science Fiction in the Genre of Alternativehistory as a Reflection of Mass Consciousness: a Sociological Dimension. Sotsiologicheskiye issledovaniya [Sociological research]. No. 4: 106–116. (In Russ.)
Barash R.E. (2021) Historical Memory and Historical Competence of Russians: Sociological Dimension. Tsifrovoy uchenyy: laboratoriya filosofa [Digital Scientist: Philosopher’s Laboratory]. Vol. 4. No. 4: 93–103. (In Russ.)
Burovsky A., Kremlev S., Nersesov Yu. et al. (2012) Anti-Medinsky. Refutation. How the ruling party rules history. Moscow: Eksmo. (In Russ.)
Bystrov V.Yu., Kamnev V.M. (2019) Vulgar sociologism: the history of the concept. Sotsiologicheskoye obozreniye [Sociological Review]. Vol. 18. No. 3: 286–308. (In Russ.)
Ermoltsev D. (2010) Ferro’s book and Russian experience of stories about the past. In: Ferro M. How stories are told to children in different countries of the world. Moscow: Book Club 36’6. (In Russ.)
Frumkin K.G. (2016) Alternative historical fiction as a form of historical memory. Istoricheskaya ekspertiza [Historical expertise]. No. 4: 17–28. (In Russ.)
Galina M. Return and change. Alternative history of Russia as a reflection of the traumatic points of the mass consciousness of the post-Soviet person. Novoye literaturnoye obozreniye [New Literary Review]. 2017. No. 4 (146): 258–271. (In Russ.)
Galina M., Kukulin I. (2021) Alternative history. In: Everything in the past: theory and practice of public history. Ed. by A. Zavadsky, V. Dubina. Moscow: New publishing house: 155–186. (In Russ.)
Latov Yu.V. (2019) Retroforecasting as an element of national historical mentality. Obshchestvennyye nauki i sovremennost’ [Social sciences and modernity]. No. 1: 99–114. (In Russ.)
Latov Yu.V., Tikhonova N.E. (2021) New society – new resource – new class? (On the 60th anniversary of the human capital theory). Terra Economicus. Vol. 19 (2): 6–27. (In Russ.)
Latova N.V. (2002) What does a fairy tale teach? (About the Russian mentality). Obshchestvennyye nauki i sovremennost’ [Social sciences and modernity]. No. 2: 180–191. (In Russ.)
Putilo O.O. (2020) The Image of Alternative Russia in Alternative Historical Fiction. Vestnik slavyanskikh kul’tur [Bulletin of Slavic Cultures]. Vol. 55: 151–162. (In Russ.)
Volodikhin D. (2000) The phenomenon of folk history. Otechestvennaya istoriya. [Domestic history]. No. 4: 16–24. (In Russ.)